Control system



March 28,1944. G. w. UPP 2,345,224

CONTROL .SYSTEM Filed May 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l 5wNGaPRoPELCROwDgETRACT STEERING-D F IVG I v I JAw cLuTcHEs l I, HO'STEsw'lNe'aPnoPEL-A s ,a lucmr w I f CLIIHIN'` I l il v .o t ii! I I -Aoe'G i BooM HolsT-r-z I, 4 44:, "g1 vj swma i 1:.- l I] N pmx: I

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`o ROPEL BRAKE-l INVENT OR. GEORGE w. u PE March 28, 1944. G. w. UPP2,345,224 v CONTROL SYSTEM v Filed May 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE OR.GEORE w.uPP.

March 28,1944.4 G. w. UPP

' CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May e, 1941 4 Asheets-sheet e FIG.\5

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DIPPER T lP-J March 28, l1944. G. w. UPP

CONTROL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 6, 1941 INVENTOR GEORGEVV-UPF'.`

Patented Mar. 28, 1944 CONTROL SYSTEM George W. UDP, Lakewood, Ohio,assgnor to The Midland Steel Products Company, Cleveland,l Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application May s, 1941, serial No. 392,085

Claims.

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in control stationsand more particularly to the type disclosed in my copending applicationSerial No. 353,495, led August 21, 1940. vThis control stationcontemplates a structure in which a plurality of control valves can beconveniently mounted as a unit in the smallest possible space in the'cabof the shovel, digger or the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide an arrangementwhereby a single lever can control three separate operations; two ofthem simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is to provide in such an arrangement,means whereby at any point in the movement of the control .handle foroperating one or more valves, this handle can be moved to operateanother valve without affecting the position of the rst mentionedvalves.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple Iand eflicient cammeans for opening or in closing a valve and for releasably retaining ysuch valve either in open or closed position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following` description,

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the description |andwherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe several views,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the valve control stand shown in mycopending application Serial No. 353,495, upon which the presentinvention is an improvement.

Fig.2 is a top plan of the same,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section of the upper portionof the standtaken on the line.3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig.3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of av non-compensating typeof poppet valve employed in the invention,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of.

this valve taken on the lineB-E of Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is a front elevation of a pair of such valves arranged as a unitwith cam actuation,

Fig. 8 is a top elevation of the same with onehalf of the structureshown in section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. "l,

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the forward tion of the valve showing aside elevation of the cam actuator.

yings for a-det'ailed' description of theinventio'n," which is designedfor the easier, more positive and quickerV operation of the usual powerop` erated shovel controls by means of a pressure medium, the numeral '9designates aunitary'vcontrol station in its entirety. This station com#prises a stand I0 which is built separate and independent of thepower'operated shovel and its controls, and is installed as a unit inthe limited space in the shovel cab to be connected to the variousshovel controls by flexible hose connec'- tions to air operatedactuators of 'the usual construction. These actuators, not shown, areoperated by a pressure medium under the control cf operating levers Afor the swing and propel mechanism; B for the jaw clutches of the swingland propel mechanism; Cfor the crovvdand retract mechanism; D for thesteering mechanism; .1 E for the hoist mechanism; F forthe boom hoistmechanism; G for the vengine clutch; I-I for the swing brakemechanismand v*for the propel brake mechanism. These various mechanismsare standard on power shovels and are well under- L stood by thoseskilled in the art. All ve levers A to E inclusive, extend verticallythroughand operate longitudinally in individualslotsll eX- tendingtransversely across the top of the unitary stand. Each valve handle A towith the exception of handleE for thehoistmechanism, is adapted toalternately operate apa'ir of spring returnedl pressure controlvalves I3and lllof the compensating type shown in thefaforesaidfcopendingapplication Iand ,each' with a return spring I4',V as indicated inFig.3,'Ialthoughin instanceswhere desired, thesetvvo valves or one of themmay be of thencn-compensating type such as` is shown in Figs.' 5` to 9herein. When any of these've ,handles are moved from their nor-v malneutral positions held bythe opposed springs of the two valves I3` andI4, these valves are alternately opened fand closed, that is to say,when the operating handle is moved forwardly of the stand through itsrespective slot I I, thevalve I4 is opened to permit passage ofpressure, and when moved toward the' rear end of its,r respective slot fII, Ithe upper valve I3 is opened for thel passage of pressure while thevalve I4 returns to a closed position to cut oii pressure therethrough.

In order tolock any of the operating` handles. land one valve of anypair in applied position, any of the slots. I I in which this operationis desired,

may be covered by appropriately slotted interchangeable plates I3.

i I For illustrationpurposes I such a plate is shown as havingalongitudinally i Referring now more particularly to the drawextendingslot I4 throughA Whih PlOeCts and.

operates the shank I of the operating handle for alternately opening andclosing the two valves I3 and I4. The two ends of this longitudinal slotI4 are provided with lateral ways I8 extending entirely across the slotII in the top I2 of the stand and terminate in angular longitudinallyextending ways I'I parallel with the slot I4 so that the operatinghandle can be moved through the slot I4 to operate either valve I3 andI4 and while s0 operated, this handle can be moved laterally through theway I6 to operate a third valve and down into the terminus I I to belocked in saidV'operating position until subsequently releasedby I theoperator. omitted whereby the operatinglever can be moved sidewise tocontrol an auxiliary adjunct irrespective of the position of theoperating lever, or other.

forms of a plate I3 shown in Fig. 2 (some with 1f desired any npiste lafcan be only an intermediate notch I3D with the ends of the plate spacedinwardly of the ends of slot VI I, or as I 3E with onlygone end lateralway) may be used wherecertain operations are desired, on any oftheslotsII.

In order for any of theY operating levers to bem capable .ofbothlongitudinal and lateral swinging movement, it is made of an uppersection having a lower forked end I8 which straddles and is pivoted tothe upper end of the lower lever section I9 by means of a pivot pin 28,permitting the upper section of the lever to swing on this pivotlaterally through the ways I6 of the slot. To normally urge the upperportion of this lever toward the right hand edge of the slot I4, alooped coil spring 2I has its intermediate portion 22 env gaging thelower section I9at one side of the pivot 28 with its two ends coiledabout the pivot 28 and bentlaterally toengage a corresponding side ofthe upper vforkedsection I8, so that when the upper section of theleverismoved into either of the ways I6, the ends of this spring will bemoved to the left of Fig. 4 to force the intermediate portion 22 ilrmlyagainstthe side 'of the lower section I9 to stress the spring, so thatwhen pressure on the upper portion vof the lever is released, thisspring will return it to normal position into axial alignment withthelower section I9. y

This lower section I9 of the leveris fulcrumed at 23 between the .earsof a post 24 secured to a supporting bracket.4 25 fastened to thedownturned flange of. the .top I2 and to a transverse bar 28 .connectedwith the legs of the stand as disclosed in my co-pending application.The end of thelever section I9 below the fulcrum 23 isangularly'disposedat 21 and is pivotallyconnected as at 32 to a valvestem 28 of the lower valve'r I4. The valve stem. 29 of the upper valveI3 ispivotf. ally connectedas at .38 above the fulcrum 23 thesame'd'istance therefrom as the pivot 32.' for the valve stem 28. Thus,`by moving the handle C lengthwise ofthe slot I4 in either direction, andinthe plane of the pivot. 28, the valves I3 and I4 can be alternatelyopened and closed. l 1

In order that the dipper trip of the power shovel may be operated by theoperating lever C, simultaneously with the crowd or retract movement ofthe shovel boom, a dipper trip valveI J is mounted f C at any point inits travel about its fulcrum 23, a

valve operating plate 36 is made co-extensivewith the length of the slotII in the stand top I2 and is mounted by a yielding mounting in inclinedrelationship to the lever C,'so that the upper end of the plate 38 is atall times in engagement with the upper laterally movable portion I 8 ofthe operating handle C in all positions of the latter, to be operatedthereby. Adjacent its lower end, the plate 36 is provided with a pair ofsomewhat semispherical or counter-sunk openings 31 at opposite sideedges thereof to receive the conical or semispherical heads 38 of a pairof studs 39 secured to the lower portions of bracket 35 by means of thenuts 48. A compression coil spring 4I is placed upon each stud 39between the bracket 35 and the valve operating plate so that the lowerportion of thisspring presses more iirmly uponthe valve plate 36 thanits upper portion to hold the valve plate firmly in contact with thesemi-spherical heads 38 and thereby form somewhat of a pivotal floatingmounting for the plate.

.The dipper trip valve J is provided with a longitudinally slidablevplunger sleeve 42 terminating at its'vouter end in an enlarged head 43which is normally forced outwardly against a stop ringx44 by aconicalcompression spring 45 to hold a ball 46 peened intothe enlargedhead 43, into engagement with the central portion of the vvalveoperating plate 38 'adjacent its upper edge. t This normal exhaustposition of the valve sleeve 42 will normally press the upper end of thevalve plate 36 into engagement withv the shank of the upper section ofthe operating lever C, so that when the latter'is moved laterally intoeither way I6, the valve. plate36 Awill move the valve plunger sleevev42 inwardly to permitpressure to pass through videdwith a lateralexhaust port 52 communicating with` the bore and the interior of thesleeve 42 throughthe openingsv 53 in the latter whenever the sleeve isat the limit of its movement as shown in Fig. 5, to exhaust the valve,The inner end of the valve section is provided with a recess for theVreception of a suitable air tight packing 54 Athrough which the valvesleeve 42 reciprocates.

Ihe other valve section 49 is provided with a central pressure chamber55 supplied withpressure through a Suitable lateral pipe 56, Awhichin'some installations may bethreaded in a c entral tapped opening in aclosure cap 5l. Extending co-axially within the chamber 55'is an annularvalve seat 58 larger lin diameter than the Op. of the valve sleeve 42,and this s eat at'one side thereof-and opposite the intake .pipe 56, isprovided with a port 59 into which is,v threaded a pipe 68which leadstothe actuator for Vthe dipper trip. A iloating inlet valve BI is normallyforcedjupon its, seat 58 by means ofthe coil spring 62 so asto'cut oifthe source of pressure frornV` the port59. ,In such position, and withthe valve sleeve 42 disengaged from the inlet 'valve 6I, the port 59 canexhaust through lthe valve sleeve, its ports 53 and escape intothe'exhaust port 52 to vent the.'` mechanism operated by this .valveWhen theoperating lever Cis moved longitudif nally in the slot I4A oneway orV theotherto crowd orretract the shovel by the operation of thevalves I3 and I4, and the .upper section I8 of.. the operating handle Cis moved laterally into eitherend I6 of. theslot, the valve actuatingplater 36 is caused to move toward its valve and move the kvalve sleeve42 into engagement with the inlet valve 6I and thereafter lift thisvalve from its seat so that pressure existing in chamber 55 may passinto the concentric seat 58 and thence to the port 58 to operate thedipper trip. It will be understood that in this position of the valvesleeve 42, its exhaust ports 53 will be closed by the bore of the valvesection 50 thereby preventing escape of the pressure medium until thevalve plate 36 is released byoperating lever C. To retain the uppersection I8 of the operating lever C in position to hold the inlet valve6I open, this section of thefoperating lever is moved into the notchedend I'I of the slot and will be held against one side thereof due to thepressure exerted on valve plate 36 by the valve spring 45. As soon asthe operating lever C is moved into the lateral passage I6, the combinedaction of the valve spring 45 and the lever spring 2| will automaticallythrow the upper end of the control lever into the longitudinal slot I4in which position it will be automatically moved back to its normalcentral position due to the opposed relation of the valves I3 and I4acting on this lever when the operator releases it to the automaticoperation of the mechanism. Due to the fact that the valve operatingplate 36 is coextensive with the slot for the upper end of the operatinglever, the latter may be moved to operate the dipper trip valve Jregardless of the operating position of the control lever. With theinlet valve 6I seated and the end of the valve sleeve 42 touching therubber gasket of this valve, it will be seen that the valve can be heldin a lapped position.

While the trip valve operated by lateral movement of the operating leveris illustrated in connection with the particular crowd and retract leverC, it will be understood that it is within the purview of the inventionto associate this valve with any of the levers A to F inclusive, or anylever assigned to control two or more operations simultaneously. In caseit is desired not to employ compensating type valves I3 and I4, thesemay be replaced with the dual valve shown in Figs. '7 to 9 inclusivewherein a plain poppet type valve such as shown in Fig. may be employedand the lower section of the operating lever C may be replaced with acam operator with the upper section of the operating rod jointed orprovided with a iulcrum like to enable the upper end of the operatingrod to move laterally, as the poppet valves are being manipulatedthrough the main operating movenient of the lever. Parts of this poppetvalve which correspond to those shown in Fig. 5 are marked withcorrespondingv reference numerals so as not to duplicate thedescription. Both of the valve bodies are mounted upon a bracket 35 andare supplied with a pressure medium through a common inlet manifold 1I)terminating at opposite ends in end caps 'II so that the inlets intothese valves are through the ends thereof rather than through the sidesas shown in Fig. 6.

For alternately opening and closing the two valves, a cam segment i2 ispivotally mounted upon a stud 'i3 secured to the bracket 35 between thetwo valve casings. Above this pivot the cam is provided with a verticalboss 14 into which is threaded the lower end of a shank 'I5 of theoperating lever C. As stated above, the upper end of this lever may beprovided with a hinge joint 2Q such as shown in the precedingmodification for the operation of a third valve.

In order to releasably retain the operating lever C in a neutralperpendicular position between the two valve casings, the upper edge ofthe cam is provided with a lpair of openings 'l for the seating of theballs 4S inv the valve sleeves 42. With thevvalve and cam assembledg'both valve plungers 42 are depressed aboutgOlE of an inch, and the ballsin the plunger assemblies enter the small holes 'IB in the cam byapproximately .0150i an inch, thereby acting as detent balls to hold.the lever in the neutral position and also to prevent any rattles. Whenthe operating lever moves to either extreme as shown by the dot and dashlines in 7, the plunger sleeve valve oi one valve is moved inwardly bythe cam about 3% of an inch thereby admitting tank pressure to thecylinder `connected to'fthat valve. At the same time, the cam movesentirely away from the other valve, leaving it in the released position.A second pair of small holes "i1 is provided n vthe cam below the firstpair, so that either one or the other'plunger balls will also act as adetentA when either valve is in applied position. Normally, the valve ismounted on the bracket with the handle lever or shank 'I5 extendingthrough a slot which limits the cam rotation, but as an added safetymeasure, a pair of lugs 'I8 are provided at the lower portion of the camsegment which will alternately abut the valve housing as the lever isswung from one side to the other of its neutral position to also limitcam rotation when either of the valves is moved to applied position.

It is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape andrelation of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pair of movable elements; of an operatinglever having its body fulcrumed at one end to operate one of saidmovable elements, said lever having its upper end movable independentlyof said body on an axis normal to the fulcrum axis and movable laterallyof the normal plane of movement of said lever body to operate said otherelement, and an inclined operating plate for said second elementco-extensive with the movement of said lever body, studs extending fromthe second element and having heads operating in openings in said plate,and coil springs on the studs between said plate and said secondelement.

2, The combination with a pair of spring pressed movable elements, and athird spring pressed element; of a single lever for operating all threemovable elements and having its body iulcrumed and connected with saidpair of elements to operate the same, the springs of said elementsserving to retain said lever body in a neutral position, said leverhaving its upper end movable independently of the lever body ron an axisnormal to the iulcrum axis and movable laterally of the normal plane ofmovement of said lever body to operate said third element.

3. The combination with a pair of spring pressed movable elements and athird spring pressed element; of a single lever for operating all threemovable elements and having its body ulcrumed and connected with saidpair of elements to operate the same, the springs of said elementsserving to retain said lever body in a neutral position, said leverhaving its upper end movable independently of the lever body on an axisnormal to the fulcrum axis and movable laterally of the normal plane ofmovement of said lever body to operate said third element,v

and an operating plate for said third element coextensive with themovement of said lever body so as to be operated by the upper pivotedend of said lever in any position of said lever body.

' 4. The combination with a support having a slot, of a pair of springpressed elements mounted below said slot in vertical alignment, anoperating lever extending through said slot and having its lower endfulcrumed and pivotally connected to said elements on opposite sides ofsaid fulcrum to maintain said lever in a neutral position, a thirdspring Vpressed element mounted below said slot to one side thereof, andthe upper end of said lever engaging said third element to be normallyurged thereby against one side of said slot and said upper end of thelever being movable transversely of said slot against the tension ofsaid third spring pressed element in any angular position of said lever.

5. The combination with a support having a slot, a, pair of movableelements mounted below said support below said slot and having a pair ofstuds extending from the bracket and terminating in semi-sphericalheads, an operating plate for operating said other movable element andbeing mounted on said semi-spherical heads, a compression spring mountedupon each stud between its bracket and said operating plate, and anoperating handle operating in said slot and connected to said operatinglever on an axis normal to the axis of the fulcrum of the operatinglever whereby when the operating handle is movedv laterally of said slottheoperating plate is moved to operate one of said movable elements whenthe operating lever is swung upon its fulcrum.

GEORGE W. UPP.

